First Article Inspection (FAI) in Manufacturing: What Do You Need To Know?

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First Article Inspection (FAI) in Manufacturing: What Do You Need To Know?

First Article Inspection (FAI) is a quality control procedure in production that validates that a part has been manufactured according to requirements. It gives manufacturing professionals confidence in their planning and paves the way for larger batch production.

In this article, we will discuss what is first article inspection, go over the details of a first article inspection report, and summarize the FAI process.

What is First Article Inspection?

Let us start by establishing a definition of 1st article inspection. First Article Inspection (also abbreviated as FAI) is a fundamental process in manufacturing production that helps ensure everything is up to the mark before full-scale production begins.

It involves a series of initial checks and documentation of the first item produced in a new manufacturing run to verify the viability and performance of the manufacturing setup. It is also common to implement an FAI process on existing products after major changes in their engineering design.

1st article inspection is a common process in high-precision industries with a lot of costs associated with production failures. For example, the aviation, defense, and automotive industries follow established quality control and inspection standards in their FAI process. Some of the well-recognized standards include SAE AS9102, EN9102, and ISO 9001.

Why is the FAI Important in Manufacturing?

Now that we have an understanding of the FAI meaning, let us dive a bit deeper and see how the FAI process is significant for manufacturers.

Confidence in Manufacturing Processes

The core purpose of 1st article inspection is to validate the manufacturing process in the production line. Generally, any errors or issues are identified during the FAI process, reducing the investors’ risk by minimizing cost, time wastage, and possibly even product callbacks in the future.

For example, suppose a part is to be made with CNC machining, and the CAM program developed by the production team accidentally adds an extra tool offset in one of their operations. This will show up during part inspection in the FAI process as a dimensional error, helping the team identify the root cause and fix it.

Ensure Product Quality

In a manufacturing environment, most quality checks are generally performed at the end of a production run. Thus, any quality issues are identified at a point where not much can be done about them. This is a high-risk situation for parts like airplane wing trusses or medical instruments.

Another reason to implement 1st article inspection is to perform an in-depth quality check for the first manufactured article and pinpoint any quality problems before they appear in a mass-produced batch. This gives the production team the confidence to go ahead with mass production.

Compliance with Industry Standards

As mentioned above, there are several industry standards for first article inspection that companies follow. By meeting the FAI requirements and preparing a professional FAI report, manufacturers show their compliance with these standards.

Improved Customer Satisfaction

Enhancing customer relationships is another purpose of 1st article inspection. Many businesses offer custom manufacturing services to their customers. By providing customers with a first article inspection report before beginning a batch, the manufacturer conveys their professionalism and dedication to customer satisfaction, which is always a good way to strengthen customer relationships.

Tools Used for FAI Process

1st article inspection can comprise a full-scale product inspection consisting of dimensional checks and mechanical testing, among other quality checks. In this section, we will discuss some of the common first article inspection equipment and procedures.

// Hand Measuring Tools

The first and foremost quality check in an FAI process is dimensional. A quality expert checks all the part dimensions and tolerances with the reference values to the engineering drawing.

The most common way to perform these checks is through hand-measuring tools like calipers, micrometers, dial gauges, and surface plates. The quality professional may use analog or digital tools, depending on the first article inspection requirement.

// Coordinate Measuring Machine

A coordinate measuring machine (CMM) is quite useful for performing dimensional and form verifications for high-precision parts. A CMM has higher measurement accuracy than hand tools and can measure hard-to-check features like internal crevices and curves. Therefore, a CMM is quite helpful where manual tools are ineffective.

Additionally, a CMM can also generate detailed reports to share inspection results with the production team and customers.

// Mechanical Testing

For certain products, mechanical properties are also important to check apart from dimensions. The most common check in this regard is material verification. Engineers use tools like spectrometers and hardness testers to check whether the material is up-to-the-mark or not.

Moreover, other mechanical testing for attributes like surface roughness, electrical properties, and cracks are also common in FAI procedures.

// Software

1st article inspection is a detailed process with a significant amount of documentation. Manufacturers prefer to use professional software to handle these first article inspection requirements in a time-efficient and professional manner.

These software are generally integrated with the proprietary software being used in the company. For example, they may read quality inspection data directly from digital instruments like CMM, cameras, or RFID scanners, saving a lot of time and minimizing human error.

Main Documents in FAI Report

The First Article Inspection Report (FAIR) is a document that records the procedure and result of each activity in the FAI process. It is a comprehensive overview of the quality of the article, offering readers a quick way to analyze the performance of the manufacturing process.

Manufacturers follow various guidelines and conventions for generating FAI reports. Therefore, it is not easy to pinpoint an exact format. Therefore, in this section, we will comprehensively highlight some of the main documents in the first article inspection report as per the AS9102 standard.

Form 1: Part Number Accountability

This is an introductory form that documents the part being inspected, including its unique identification, revision number, and any of its sub-assemblies.
It brings the reader up to date with the specific product/sub-assembly this FAI is referring to and what they should expect in subsequent forms.

Form 2: Product Accountability

This form documents details about the raw materials, production-related processes, and any functional tests associated with manufacturing the part. It helps ensure that the correct material and appropriate processes (heat treatment, surface treatments, etc.) are used in the process.

Furthermore, it also contains information about functional tests performed on the article. These tests can be for material characteristics or performance. Form 2 explains the procedural details as well as the testing environment.

Form 3: Characteristic Accountability

Form 3 mainly records the results of dimensional inspections. It includes information on how well the features of the part conform to their set dimensions, tolerances, and form tolerances.

This information helps manufacturing engineers gauge the success and flaws of operations like CNC machining, grinding, additive manufacturing, etc.

Balloon Drawing

A balloon drawing, or a bubble drawing, is like an appendix in the first article inspection report. It consists of the part’s technical drawing with a ‘bubble/balloon’ placed at points of interest in an FAI process. For example, if a certain surface needs to have a specific roughness value, that surface may be identified with a balloon.

Balloon drawings simplify the inspection process, facilitate communication between team members, and ensure completeness of the 1st article inspection process.

First Article Inspection Process

The FAI process is very systematic in nature. A well-planned 1st article inspection can have several steps for smooth and effective execution. A brief overview of its common steps is as follows:

1. Planning

In the beginning, engineers make some core decisions to define the first article inspection requirements. They define which industrial standards to follow, what processes to include, and draft balloon drawings to serve as benchmarks.

2. First Article Production

After planning, the production line manufactures the first article in question. This process is in collaboration with the production team. The article may be the very first or an article from a particular batch.

3. Inspection

The next step is the actual inspection. Experts utilize first article inspection equipment to verify part dimensions, material properties, and other characteristics defined during the planning phase.

4. Documentation

After the inspection processes are finished, the next step is to draft the first article inspection report. It contains all the necessary details of the FAI process procedures, results, and reference information.

5. Review and Approval

The final step is to review the report. This is, of course, the responsibility of a senior team member, who performs a detailed check of all activities and approves the report if satisfactory. With this, the first article is either approved or rejected for further production, and the report is ready for sharing with the customers.

When Should First Article Inspection be Used?

1st article inspection has multiple use cases where it can be beneficial for manufacturers, customers, and other stakeholders.

Arguably, its most relevant application is when launching a new product. After designing it and preparing it for manufacturing, it is good to test the viability of the manufacturing setup through an FAI process.

There are, however, some other reasons to perform a first article inspection as well. Whenever there is a major design change that makes it to the production stage, it is prudent to re-analyze the efficiency of the manufacturing setup with FAI.

Similarly, other reasons to trigger a new FAI process can be a change in manufacturing equipment, production sites, and suppliers. All these reasons have the potential to deteriorate manufacturing quality to a point where the product may not be able to pass quality checks. 1st article inspection can be very helpful to identify flaws in time and save resources.

PPAP vs FAI: What is the Difference?

Production Part Approval Process (PPAP) is a quality control process in manufacturing that ensures that a manufacturer is capable of producing components up to a certain standard. By definition, PPAP is quite similar to 1st article inspection.

While it is true that these processes are very much alike, there are some fundamental differences that we aim to highlight in this section. A summary of the PPAP vs FAI is in the table below.

FAQs

What are some common challenges in implementing FAI?

FAI can be challenging when several suppliers are involved, which can cause results to deviate and be unreliable. For complex parts, FAI can be time-consuming and require a lot of resources, which may not seem financially justifiable for a single part.

How can manufacturers ensure a successful FAI process?

An established, standardized approach is a must for a successful FAI process. Preferably, in compliance with known industry standards. Additionally, having personnel with clearly defined roles, calibrated equipment, and report formats also contributes to the success of an FAI process.

How is FAI related to quality management systems?

FAI is an integral part of quality management systems. It ensures that all parts meet design requirements and that the production process is capable of producing consistent quality products.

Conclusion

At IDEAL, we excel in providing top-quality custom machining services tailored to meet your project needs. Our advanced technology and skilled team ensure your specifications are met with exceptional accuracy and efficiency.

Contact IDEAL today to see how we can assist with your next project!